History Of The Atomium In 60 Seconds

The Atomium was supposed to be a temporary monument but its success made it the symbol of European capital and a popular tourist attraction. It was constructed as the main pavilion of the world’s fair Expo 58 in 1958, which was hosted in Brussels. The Atomium is a giant 165 billion times enlarged model representing an elementary iron crystal cell and it can be considered as a mixture between sculpture and architecture.
Since Expo 58 was the first one after World War II, the Atomium represented the faith in scientific progress as a main driver of the progress for humanity at large. It was designed by the Belgian engineer André Waterkeyn. He entrusted his work to two architects – brothers André and Jean Polak, who were Waterkeyn’s brothers in law.
The structure itself consists of nine stainless steel clad spheres connected by 20 tubes. According to the records from 1958, the object weighs as much as 2,400 tons. In total it is 102 meters high. The structure is preserved almost in original condition, and was renovated in 2006 in order to create a beautiful light show with 2,970 LEDS sparkling during the night. In 2016 the Atomium celebrates its 10th anniversary of reopening after reconstruction works and it is also the 58th anniversary of Expo 58.
The concept of the Atomium is protected by the society of SABAM – the Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers, which means that the use of all reproductions of Atomium is significantly restricted for commercial purposes.
In addition to being an incredible and unique monument, the Atomium also contains an extraordinary museum, which is visited by approximately 600,000 tourists each year. Due to safety reasons only five of nine spheres are open to the public. These publicly accessible spheres host permanent and rotating exhibitions. The Atomium is a sought after destination for its panoramic view; during clear day it is possible to see as far as to the port in Antwerp.
📅 Monday- Sunday, 10am – 6pm

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.